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Teaching assistantships

Teaching assistantships

Teaching-related activity is an important aspect of graduate education, because it provides invaluable practice in clearly formulating concepts and conveying ideas.

TAs are funded by the Faculty of Mathematics and assigned by the department, usually with three or four units in any twelve month period. Full-time master's students are eligible for up to 6 units of TA over the 2-year program timeline and full-time PhD students are eligible for up to 16 units of TA over 4 years. Continuation of TA support beyond the first year is contingent on satisfactory performance of previous TA assignments.

TA duties

Graduate students in their first and second terms will normally be assigned to the first and second year courses, and advanced students will be assigned to upper-year courses. The duties involve consultation with students, marking assignments and exams, preparing examples, or assisting with tutorial sessions. The amount of work varies somewhat from course to course, but the duties of one unit involve an average of 5 hours per week for the term.

Instructional Apprentice (IA) Positions

In recognition of the advanced skills of many graduate students, we have created IA positions as as alternative to standard TA positions. These positions have the same number of hours as a TA position and the same pay scale, but the duties are more diverse. In contrast to a TA, who spends most hours marking assignments, an IA will spend time on other activities such as tutorial or lab instructors and holding office hours for consulting with students. Others will be responsible for coordinating and supervising TAs, or for creating assignment solutions and/or marking schemes.

Lecturing opportunities

While most graduate students will gain teaching experience through teaching assistantships, occasionally some senior graduate students may have the opportunity to be instructors. These assignments must be approved by the student's supervisor and the Director of the School.

TA awards

TA awards are given to exceptional TAs and are nominated by the course instructor and selected by the Director of Graduate Studies. Winners receive $500 and are acknowledged during fall orientation each year. If you would like to nominate one of your current TAs please contact Paula Roser